Fish Gills and Swimmer Skills
by Potatoe Man
Summary: Percy Jackson is a normal kid who lives a normal life. but that all changes with a secret his mother hide from him for years. now someone is chasing him, he might develop fins and a tail, and his father is alive. what life will he chose to live after the greatest secret of his life is reveled.
1. Chapter 1

-I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, just this and a couple other fanfics.-

Fish gills and swimmer skills

By: Potatoe Man

Chapter: 1

My name is Percy Jackson. I've live a normal life since….. well actually, I've never had a normal life. I was born in California and lived there my whole life. I don't know what hospital I was born at because my mother never told me. I go to a boarding school called Chiron's school for troubled teens. My mom said it was the only school in her price range she could send me to. The school says it's for troubled 'teens' but it actually is one of those 'preschool all the way up to twelfth grade' type schools. ever since elementary level I had been on the school's swim team. I was in love with the water and everyone told me I was like a fish in the pool. I traveled up the team ranks quickly, becoming the youngest ever team captain in my freshmen year of high school. When I first told my mom that I was on the swim team, she had flipped out. She had kept rambling about how I shouldn't be in water. I was confused by her reaction since she knew I loved to swim. After she got over the initial shock, and after she made me promise that we weren't going to practice at the beach, she said that she was happy that I had found something that I loved to do. My mother, since I was born, never took me to the beach. She said that she meet my dad at the beach and it was too painful to go there. That didn't really explain why I couldn't go, but I listened to her. The way she talked about the place, it was like she thought if we went I would disappear. Actually, I've never even swam in salt water before. It was always fresh or chlorinated water. But that all changed one weekend of my sophomore year.

I had just finished lunch when my friends Annabeth and Grover came by. We were all sixteen and we had become friends the moment we met in elementary school. Well, me and Grover became instant friends. Annabeth took a little longer to warm up to me. They pulled up in Annabeth's grey shevy. Her dad worked in the 'historical museum of mechanical warfare' and got pretty good money for keeping the exhibits clean and prepared for the public. He bought her the car a week ago after she passed her drivers ED class with flying colors and got her driver's license. Her and Grover got out as I opened the the door. My mother stood behind me and waved. "Good morning Grover, Annabeth." They booth nodded and Annabeth said, "Good morning Mrs. Jackson. Can we kidnap Percy for the rest of the day? I need his help on a shopping situation. We might also stop for a quick dip to cool off." She said it innocently enough, but I knew her better. She was up to something. "Don't call me 'Mrs. Jackson'. It makes me feel old. And I guess you could steal him for the day. He's finished with his chorus and I see no reason he can't hang out with his friends." she smiled at them and chatted while I got my bag. When I got to the car she called, "Make sure to bring him back before seven." and waved as we drove off.

As soon as my mom was out of sight I turned to Annabeth. "OK. what do you really want me for?" She faked a hurt expression. "Do I need a reason to hang with my two best friends. Do you really think I would keep something from you?" she said Innocently. I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?" I said, already regretting my decision to come. "It's not what I want, It's what you require. And first of all, I do need you for shopping advice," I rolled my eyes again. Why did she assume that just because I was gay that I had great fashion sense. If she looked into my closet she would stop asking for my advice. ",and I know for a fact that a little prince of darkness is hanging out at the pier." I lean against my seat and groan. "Why do you do this to me. I will find a way to talk to him when I'm ready." I say, trying my best to not get made. "That's the problem. You'll never be ready. You always put it off and when you actually run into the kid, you start Mumbling incoherently and become very clumsy. Last time you tried to talk to him you covered the poor kid in syrup and powdered sugar from your funnel cake."

I blush at the memories of my terrible attempts at talking to Nico Di Angelo. Every time I try to talk to him my mind freezes up and I become all thumbs. Annabeth had taken it upon herself to try and hook us up. She's sent me to the store for something only for me to find that Nico worked there. She told me to meet her in the band room and I discovered Nico eating lunch and I made up the lame excuse of walking into the wrong room. Annabeth had tried and tried to get us alone together so we could talk, get to know each other, fall in love and get married. Literally her goals for our lives. She had tried everything except handcuffing us together, though I wouldn't put it passed her. "Well….. I can't go to the pier." I say, trying to wriggle out of the situation. "My mom won't allow me to go to the beach. It's literally her top rule of the house and my life. 'No Beach'! She would kill you if she knew where you were you were planning on taking me." I was desperate. I doubt my mother would actually kill Annabeth, but she wouldn't talk to or trust her for months. "First, I told your mom where we were going, just in a different order. And second off, I told your mother we were going for a 'quick dip'. I didn't say we were going to the pool, and she didn't ask." I rub my hand down my face. I was only nerves about the whole Nico situation. I actually really wanted to see the beach. I've had dreams about when my mother finally took me there and I wished they would come true. Now I was being dragged there to be forced to socialize with my high school crush and, by the way, I don't even know if he's gay. I would even take it if he was bi.

The car stops and I look around in a panic. We couldn't be there yet. Apparently Annabeth knew a shortcut. We were parked right next to the pier. Annabeth and Grover got out and Annabeth opened my door. "Your love life awaits." she said with a bow and a hand stretched out behind her. I cross my arms and grumble, "I'm not moving." her eyes darkened and before I knew it I was lifted into the air and was slung over her shoulder like a bag of potatoes. She closes the door and marches off with me.

Grover steps behind her and looks at me. "I'd just like to point out that this was all her idea. I only went along because jupiter said she would be very angry at me if I didn't help you find the 'best boyfriend ever and make sure he didn't hurt you'." He put air quotes around the last part. I snickered softly. "Don't forget the part where I would hurt you if you refused to come along." Annabeth commented. I laughed harder at the face he made. "OK! Where is- Aha! There he is!" I could feel her body slope as she walked downward.

I heard the crunch of feet stepping on sand. I looked down and saw that we were now on the beach. I squirmed and kicked, trying anything necessary to get out of Annabeth's grip. I failed miserably. Suddenly she stopped and flipped me off her shoulder and sat me in the sand next to the water. "We're going to go get ice cream. Be good boys and we might bring you some." she and Grover turned on their heels and marched up the slope connecting the beach to the parking lot. I turned and was met by the lovely face of Nico Di Angelo.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter: 2

I stared at those big, black brown eyes and my brain disconnected and I started mumbling, "I- ah- i- she- they- uuuggghhh!" I fell back and threw my arms over my head. I hear soft snickering coming from the spot next to me. "nice to see you too mumbler di parole." I sat up quickly, a little annoyed. "I don't mumble all my words, torta di imbuto." His eyes widen in surprise at me understanding Italian befor his expression changed to one of annoyance. "Don't call me 'funnel cake'! It was your fault I got syrup and powdered sugar on me in the first place." he growled. "Well you shouldn't have been just standing in the doorway where people were walking." I retorted. He stood up so fast I thought I was going to get whiplash from following the movement. "so it's my fault that you're so clumsy that you can't walk five steps before giving someone a concussion." he fumed. It was my turn to stand up quickly. "I didn't say it was your fault! Though, if we're being honest here, it is your fault for making me develop a crush on you." I yell. People started looking at us. Then I realized what I had said. I was shocked beyond belief. But I was nothing compared to Nico. His eyes widened and his mouth fell into a perfect 'o'.

I stepped back and tripped over my own foot. I came crashing down into the salty ocean water and got drenched. I felt a strange surge of energy flow through my limbs and made my mind feel a hundred percent focused on the teenager in front of me. I saw that his hair had subtle brown streaks and his skin had a light honey olive tone. He seemed to be in high definition and now I could see every part of his being. I also saw the look of shock still etched on his face. I stood and ran towards the pier. I heard a shout, "Percy, wait!" I threw my hand back instinctively and heard what sounded like a body getting smashed by a wave. I didn't turn to see what happened, I just kept running.

I got to the pier and hide behind one of the wooden pillars. I heard footsteps following me. They slowed to a stop and I heard the shuffling of feet as whoever it was looked around. The footsteps started again slowly. They were coming closer to my column so I began to silently walk around the opposite direction. They stopped again and I heard Nico's sigh of disappointment. The footsteps retreated and I waited until I was sure he was gone. I left the under belly of the pier and made my way over to Annabeth's car. Annabeth and Grover turned up a minute later. She looked at me and asked softly, "how did it go?" I turned away to hide my tears. "I don't want to talk about it."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter: 3

The next day my mom drove me to school as usual. I got out and said, "bye mom." After she drove away I made my way to the schools swimming building. The school nurse, Will, liked to do routine check ups on the members of the swim team and he wanted to do my check up this morning before school. On my way to his office people kept glancing at me. This was usual since I was the youngest ever team captain and people liked to try to figure out how the scrawny freshman had accomplished it. But the looks they were giving me today were looks of amusement and, from the girl's, disappointment. I hung my head and walked faster. They must have heard about me shouting my feelings to the world yesterday.

Even though I admit I am gay, I'm not the kind of person who goes telling everyone about it. Everyone either assumes I'm straight or not interested in dating. Many girls have tried to ask me out and I usually decline. Today though, everyone knows my preference of gender. They even know my 'type' of guy. Even being one of the most popular kids in school, that's still embarrassing. I reached Will's office and close the door a little too loudly. Will looked up from his desk at the noise. "Oh! Good morning Percy. Have a seat and I'll be right with you." After he finishes the papers he's working on he comes over and starts his normal routine. You know, doctor stuff. He checked my temperature, my heart beat, my blood sugar, my weight, my height and he double checked my sodium intake.

"Well you seem fit and good to go. Your sodium intake is a little higher than normal. Have you been eating something with a lot of salt in it?" he asked, writing on his clipboard. "No, not really. Last time I really had salt was Friday at dinner, and that was only a small amount." I try to think of some time I had eaten a lot of salt but couldn't come up with anything. There was the other day when I had fallen into the water at the beach, but I hadn't got any water in my mouth. "Alright. Just try to keep the salt intake down and you're good to go." Will said sternly. I nodded and walked out of the office.

Outside the door I almost ran into Luke as he tried to walk into the office. Luke never really liked me since he thinks I stole team captain from him. He was going to receive the title when the old captain, Travis, graduated. His younger brother Connor was still a junior on the team but they looked identical so it looked really weird when he was walking around school and people were asking him, "hey, didn't you graduate already?" I skirted to a stop and avoided a collision. Luke glared at me and pushed passed into Will's office and shut the door. I walk away and try not to take it personally.

The rest of the day goes by as usual. I'm not the best student but I can keep my grades up to stay on the swim team. My last class of the day is P.E. and then swim practice. My P.E. teacher, Mrs. Dare, liked to push us to our limits and see how long we hold up. Have you ever seen survivor? She has us do physical activities like those almost every day we have her. I literally had to hold onto an erect pole for twenty minutes and then try to walk on a forteen foot balance rope that was an inch thick carrying an egg on a spoon in my mouth. She be crazy. But she was one of the more laid back teachers in the school so she let me off class five minutes early every day to get some laps in before the swim meet.

I left P.E. and walked to the pool. No one is ever there because they are all in class so I get the whole pool to myself for five to seven minutes, depending on how fast it takes everyone to get there. I change quickly and dive into the pool. As soon as I hit the water I start swimming like I was born in the ocean. I do ten laps in less than two minutes and start simply fooling around. I jump off the diving board, swim around in circles,dive for the rubber water torpedoes and try to dive down to the bottom and see how long I can stay there. On the first try I hit the bottom and sit on the floor. I wait for the pressure of having no oxygen to hit me but It comes on slowly. I count to three-hundred by the time my lungs start begging for air and I have to push off the ground to break the surface. I come up out of the water to find everyone arriving. I pull myself out of the water and start off the meet. While I talk and tell them what we were to be doing today, I couldn't help but think that today seemed weirder than normal.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter: 4

A week goes by of me trying to keep a low profile. Every time I see Nico I duck into a crowd or an empty room so he doesn't see me and try to confront me. The weekend comes once again and I take a breath of relief that I won't have to dodge Nico every day at school. Luckily, he's a freshman and doesn't have any of the same classes as I do. I wake up on saturday morning to the smell of fresh made pancakes. I head downstairs to find my mom cooking her famous blue pancakes. She started making them when I was a kid and cutting them into the shapes of seashells or waves. It was her way of giving me a little piece of the ocean since she wouldn't, under any circumstance, let me go there for real. I hadn't told my mom about Annabeth's little scheme of kidnapping me to the beach. I wasn't that stupid. She placed a plate in front of me and I started wolfing down the pancakes.

When I was finished I got up and rinsed off my plate. The doorbell rang as I put the plate in the dishwasher. My mom got up and went to the door. I sat down on the couch and turned on the T.V. as she started talking to whoever it was. A minute later she came into the room and said, "Percy, honey. There's someone at the door for you." she said slyly. I looked at her, confused. Mom usually told me if it was Annabeth or grover at the door and she had never once told me that someone was at the door in that kind of voice. It sounded almost mischievous. "Who is it?" I ask carefully, not sure what's going on. "Oh, just a boy from school. Lets see. Black hair, dark brown eyes, you have a crush on him and olive tone skin. Oh, did I mention you have a crush on him. Well if I didn't, you do." Enough blood rushed to my face and colored my checks to leave every other part of me cold. Not only was Nico at my door at eight in the morning but my mother was also talking to me about my crush on him. Could life get any more embarrassing. "So are you going to ask him out or what?" she says without even the slightest hint that it is a joke. Yes, life can get more embarrassing. "Mom! Don't say things like that. It's weird when you try to act like a school friend and not my mother." I say, covering my face in embarrassment. "Well then don't be such a wuse when it comes to boys. Now don't leave the poor kid waiting." She pulled me up and pushed me towards the door.

Sure enough, there was Nico Di Angelo standing in our doorway. I didn't even think he knew where I lived. I stepped onto the small porch, crossed my arms and looked down. He cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Look I just wanted to-" he was cut off by the sound of floor boards creaking behind us. We both looked up at the same time to find my mom in mid 'sneak over and hear what their saying' step. I scowled slightly and she smiled apologetically. I reached for the door and, right as she was about to say something, closed it on her. Nico looked back at me and started again, "look I-" I cut him off this time by putting up my hand. I point with my thumb towards the lot on the other side of the road where there was an old swing set left after the house there burned down a year ago. They never rebuilt the house so it was my favorite place to think. I would just sit on the swings and think about things in life or, sometimes, just not to think at all.

I walk over and sit on the right hand swing like I always do. Nico comes over and sits on the other and stares at the ground. He seemed to contemplate something for a second before he began to talk. "Look. I know you've been avoiding me at school and I understand why. You embarrassed yourself in front of a lot of people, some of them even go to our school. The only thing I can't understand is why you didn't tell me sooner. All those times we ran into each other, whether because of Annabeth or not, you seemed flustered whenever I approached. You became clumsy and dumbfounded when you're usually sturdy and brilliant. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you liked me. I just didn't want to force you to tell me the truth, so I resigned to step back and let you work your own way up to it. But it never came. You only ever tried to speak to me when Annabeth put you into an impossible situation. Then you would make a fool of yourself and run away because you thinked you looked stupid."

I had been staring at the ground while he talked, but now he put his thin fingers under my chin and gently lifted my face to his. "But you didn't. Not to me at least. You were adorably smitten and you didn't know how to express your feelings. That's why I looked so shocked at the beach. First, I didn't expect you to actually admit it and second, I was horrified that you had to go through it like that. The whole point of me not confronting you about it was the fact that I didn't want you to go through something like that." His eyes held the sincerity that was in his voice. He looked like he would take all my tears away for himself to deal with if he could.

So he knew all along. I felt so stupid now. Why couldn't I have realized before that he had realized it. I would have had so much time saved from this teenage drama. "I just didn't know if you were even gay or if you even liked me. All I knew was that we met when my friends introduced me to their friends and there you were. The next thing I knew I was thinking about you all day and trying to think of something to say to you so I could get to know you and the-" I was cut off suddenly when he grabbed my face with both hands and pulled his lips to mine. My brain melted into putty and the only thing my body seemed capable of doing was wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him forward. We broke apart and he smile was like the sun. "Does that answer all your questions?" he asked brightly. "Yes! Yes it does." I say breathlessly. We both looked towards the house when we heard the sounds my mother usually only makes on superbowl sunday. We both chuckled lightly to ourselves. I turned back to Nico and became serious once more. "One thing before we go inside. Never, _ever_ , tell my mother that I went to the beach. She would literally bury me alive." he chuckles again and brushes his lips lightly to mine. "Cross my heart and hope to die." he said in a cute southern accent. I hope he meant that because, if my mother ever found out, that promise _would_ come true.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter: 5

You never really know just how fast gossip goes around school until the gossip is about you. The whole school found out that Nico and I were dating before the lunch bell even rang on monday. We entered the cafeteria and took our seats at the 'corner table'. They call it the 'corner table' because of the fact that, one, it was the only table in the cafeteria thaat was positioned in a corner and, two, it's the only table in the cafeteria that doesn't _have_ corners. It doesn't really make sense, but does anything in highschool really make sense. We slide onto the bench and I look up from my food when I feel a strange tingling feeling on my neck like someone's watching me. But no one was watching me. That's an understatement. Everyone was looking at me, and Nico as well. I put my head down quickly and mutter to Nico, "They're all staring at us! I feel like an exhibit at the zoo." Nico lifts his head and looks around. He snickers slightly. "What are you laughing about." I scowled. "Did you happen to notice their faces before you got all self conscious? All the guys seem really amused and all the girl are giving me death glares." he said trying hard not to bust out laughing. I look around again and see what he meant. All the girls in the school looked like they were trying to unsuccessfully use laser vision and fry Nico where he sat. the guys on the other hand either looked amused by the reaction of the girls or looking approvingly at us. Some of them saw me looking and gave me two thumbs up.

I looked back at my plate trying to keep my own case of giggles under control. "You know, we could give them a reason to glare." Nico said slyly. I was confused until he lend in and planted his lips to mine. I was shocked for a minute, but got over it and pulled him closer. Throughout the room there was a collective growl from the girls, while the guys laughed at them and began to applaud. We broke apart as our friends sat at the other spots at the table. "Guys! No P.D.A at the table." said Annabeth as she sat down. "You're the one that wanted us to get together. Now we're not aloud to act like a normal couple?" I say with false offence. "No. you can act like any other couple. Just not at the table. You can do that kind of stuff anywhere and everywhere else." She says with a wink as she picks at her salad.

The rest of the day was uneventful, as usual. well, except Mrs. Dare gushing over how we had finally gotten together. She was so excited she forgot to do the lesson she had planned for the day. Not that I was complaining. The bell rang and I headed to the pool. We didn't have meets on mondays so I usually had the pool to myself. I got to the gate and found that there was someone already swinging in the pool. He stopped doing laps to catch his breath and I realized it was Luke. He got out of the pool and grabbed his towel. He turned around and spotted me. His eyes narrowed and he stomped out the side gate. I shook my head, still not understanding why he disliked me. It seemed more than just about me stealing captain of the swim team. I realize he hadn't like me the moment he meat me. His eyes seemed to harden whenever he saw me. I shake it off and begin my daily laps. After my third lap I hear the sound of the main gate squeaking open. I look up from the water to find Nico sitting at the edge of the pool with his feet in the water. I swim over and he lend forward. "So this is where you disappear to after school every day. I know you like to swim and all, but doesn't it get boring after a while?" He asks. "Nope. I love the water. I feel so at home when I'm swimming. My mom likes to joke that I was a fish she brought home one day and I morphed into a baby. She says weird things like that all the time." I jump up and sit on the edge of the pool. He wraps his arms around me and I return the gesture.

"Why doesn't your mom let you go to the beach?" he asked suddenly. I think about that for a moment. "I don't really know. She says that she met my dad at the beach and the memories of their parting was just too painful for her. Every time I bring up the beach or my dad she either gets all teary eyed or becomes agitated." He snuggled closer to me and I tightened my grip slightly. "I'm sorry your dad left your mom like that. She's a wonderful person who raised a wonderful son." I lean down and give him a quick kiss. "Why didn't I snatch you up earlier in my life?" I ask rhetorically. "Because you couldn't think straight whenever I walk into a room." Nico says while tracing random patterns on my arm. "Oh you think you're funny don't you?" I ask. "Well I'm not a professional comedian, but…" he chuckles. "Are you a professional carnival dunk target?" I ask. He looks up at me in confusion. "What does that even mean?" "Oh, just….This!" I say as I pull him forward into the water. We resurface and he sputters, "Have I ever told you how much I despise you?" I pull him towards me. "No. have I ever told you how cute you are when you're soaking wet and angry?" He snickers at that and I lean in and kiss him passionately.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter: 6

I wake up on saturday and the events from the past week make me smile in the morning light. Nico and I had gone out on our 'official' first date and, of course, my mother and Annabeth went crazy trying to help me pick out a restaurant or what clothes I was going to wear. I finally got fed up with them and announced I would simply take him to the park for a picnic and the only thing they were allowed to do was pack the food. They were happy enough to argue over whether Nico would like sandwiches or pizza. I then went to Nico's house and waited for him while his sisters looked me up and down with expressions that either said 'we approve' or 'hurt him and we will tear you apart'. They were conflicting expressions but they seemed to mix them together into something that gave me shivers. Nico finally came down stairs and I practically dragged him out the door to get away from his sisters. Nico, being a sixteen year old freshmen, drove us to the park and I led him to the spot I had set up. It was a little annoying when your boyfriend was younger than you and was able to drive first. We had a great time just talking and eating whatever Annabeth and my mom packed for us. He took me home afterwards so I wouldn't have to walk from his house and walked me to the door. I kissed him goodnight and entered my house to find Annabeth and my mother on the other side of the door. They both squealed when the sound of Nico driving away faded into the night. They wanted every detail of my date and were a little disappointed by the description I gave them.

Nico then took me out for our second 'official' date to the Fair by the pier. I smudged most of the details of where we were going with my mother because she would have refused to let me go anywhere near the beach. Annabeth, on the other hand, I regretted telling the moment I did. She got all fangirl statues and started yammering on about how the location was great and that this would be such a romantic date. Honestly the closest the date got to romantic was when we rode the ferris wheel and Nico cuddled against me to stay warm from the cold wind blowing in from the sea. The date went well as we played games and ate cotton candy. That was until I heard a strange music that seemed louder when we were near the railing of the pier. The sound seemed to come from over the edge of the pier but when I looked over the rail all I saw was the water glistening in the light of the moon. I told Nico about it later that evening but he said he hadn't heard anything. I shrugged it off as the seals that sometimes swim under the pier and continued with our date.

The rest of the week we traded off going to each others houses and studying or just hanging out eating a pizza. We had begun to commit more P.D.A. in public by holding hands and sharing a kiss or two. We had become the 'perfect couple' according to Annabeth and some of our other friends. So I kept on smiling as I got out of bed and got dressed. I walked down to the kitchen and found my mom sitting at the table. I sit down and pull a plate of pancakes towards me. My mother watches me as I eat and I start to get uncomfortable. "Why are you staring at me like that?" I ask. She sighs and massages her neck. "Nothing. You just seem really happy. You've been smiling since you came down from upstairs." I nodded slightly. "I was just thinking about this week. I've had a lot of fun." She nods in agreement. "You do seem like you're enjoying your time with Nico, but just remember-" She continued to speak but I wasn't listening anymore. I was distracted by the sound of music. The same music I heard the other day on the pier. It seemed to be pulling at me to follow it. I didn't mean to but one moment I was sitting in front of my mother at the table and next I was on my feet and walking towards the door. "I have to go. See you when I get home." I didn't wait for her answer as I closed the door and began jogging towards the pier.

I passed Nico's house on the way there and a minute later Nico himself drove up next to me in his mom's car. "Your up and about early. Where you goin?" I walked around to the passenger side door and got in the car. "The pier. There's something I need to figure out." He starts driving down the street nodding as if what I said made all the sense in the world. I didn't even know why I was going to the pier. well , not the pier. The sound seemed to be coming from the water, so I was going to the beach. We arrived and found no one else on the beach. That made sense since people don't usually come out this early in the morning. We got out of the car and began to walk down the slope to the sandy beach. Nico looked over at me as we walked. "You know, for someone who's not aloud to go to the beach, you come here a lot. Is it some kind of rebellious thing?" I heard everything he said but found that I couldn't focus long enough to respond. The sound coming from the water held all of my A.D.D mind in place and wouldn't let me go until I found the source.

I reached the water and Nico grabbed my shoulder. "Hey, are you ok. You're quieter than usual." I look up from the water for the first time and shake my head in confusion. "What...oh yeah, no I'm fine." He looks at me with a worried expression as I look back at the water. The music was stronger now and seemed to pull me towards the water. I took a step forward and Nico asked, "what are you doing? You're going to ruin your clothes." I ignore him and take another step. I was almost to the water now. Another step. Almost there. The final step. My foot touched the water and something that felt like an iron clamp closed around my ankle. It yanked my leg forward and pulled me into the water. I grasped at the ground for a hold but the sand just parted beneath my fingers. Nico yelled and grabbed my arm to pull me back on the beach. The thing yanked at my leg and I fell further into the sea. Nico's feet began to slid through the sand as it pulled again and again. Soon Nico was standing in the water as well and was trying with all his might to keep me above the surface of the water.

The thing pulled again and Nico lost his grip. I was pulled under the surface and out towards the sea. I fought against it and tried to pull the thing off my leg but felt nothing there. The water was rushing past me and it was beginning to be hard to breath. My lungs ached for air and finally gave in to try and breath. I inhaled and gulped down salt water into my lungs. My chest started to hurt and I began to see spots in my vision. With one last attempt to free myself, I pushed off the force with all my might and will. I felt the water continue to rush past my skin, but it was going the opposite direction. My vision started to clear and I realized I could breath. I looked around and was startled to see that I was still under the water. I pushed myself towards the surface and instantly shot out of the water like a rocket, flew about twenty feet and landed on the sandy beach.

Nico rushed over and helped me up frantically. "What in the hell was that! You were just dragged to your death into the ocean one minute and the next you're flying through the air like a plane." He shouted. I began to choke up water as I stood and he walked me over to a bench. "I don't- don't know what happened. I- I felt something drag me under." Nico's eyes widened and he pointed to my neck. "What the hell is that?" I try to look but can't see the spot he was pointing at. "What's what?" I say confused. He pulls out his phone and I hear the 'click' of his camera. He hands me the phone and I see a picture of my neck, only right below my jaw on both sides of my neck are three slits. I stare at the picture as I'd seen this same thing in my biology class. We had studied fish month. I looked at the gills on my own neck and my mind freezes. Nico gasps in shock. "Their disappearing." he takes back his phone and started videotaping my neck. He stops after a minute and hands me the phone. I press play and watch as the gills fold down and melt back into smooth skin. It was to much for me. I dropped the phone and passed out on Nico's shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter: 7

I wake up with a jolt and nearly fall out of bed. The memory of what had happened burned into my mind. I feel the skin under my jaw and find it smooth. I stand up and walk over to the mirror next to my door. I stare at my reflection and inspect the place where my skin had been gills the last time I saw the spot. My whole body shakes with a disturbed feeling. Was it all a dream? Or had I almost been pulled to the depths of the ocean and developed gills before shooting out of the water and onto the sandy shore? How could you tell if something so real actually happened? I shake myself and grab my towel off my chair. I needed to take a long hot bath and relax. I walk to the bathroom and close the door. I turn on the water and wait impatiently as it heated up.

When the water was finally hot and the tub was full I placed my phone on the counter and got undressed. I sank into the steaming water and let out a sigh of relief. The water softened the sore spots on my legs and back I hadn't even realized I had. All the stress seemed to leave me as the water settled just below my collar bone. I close my eyes and let out a sigh of relaxation. There's no way any of that stuff actually happened. I must have been having a nightmare or something. I hear my phone buzz on the counter and I look at the screen when I grab it. I had three texts from Nico. I opened my phone to my messages and find Nico in my contacts. His latest messages pop up and I read the first of the three. 'You awake yet?' That seemed normal enough. He almost always asked that question in the morning. 'I know you're probably confused about why you're home. I brought you there after you passed out. I didn't tell your mother anything. I didn't really want to die at sixteen years old. What the hell is going on with you?' That was a more concerning message. 'What was with the gills and that thing dragging you under the water? Something feels off about all this and it's not the fact that you might be turning into the creature from the black lagoon.' With this message I almost drop my phone into the bathtub. It wasn't a dream. It had all really happened. And here I am, sitting in a tub while my boyfriend freaks out over what had happened. I put my phone down and reach for my towel. I knock over My moms bath salt and it spills all over the place. Most of it lands in the water and sinks to the bottom. I reach over and am about to grab my towel when my legs lock up. I fall back into the tub and hit my head against the wall.

I hear my mom walk over to the bathroom door and knock. "Percy. Are you in there?" she says a little frantically. "Yeah. I'm in here. Do you need to use the bathroom or…." I say as I try to stand up again. I couldn't separate my legs. They felt like they were glued together. "No, I just heard a loud 'thump' and was worried you fell or something." I tried to separate my legs again but found I could only lift them up or down. I lifted my legs into the air and almost have a heart attack. The skin on my legs seemed to be mixing together to form one limb instead of two. I clear my throat and try to sound calm. "No, I'm fine. I accidentally knocked over your bath salts and they made the noise." She sounds like she is shifting her weight from one foot to the other on the other side of the door. "Is everything OK? You just jumped up and left this morning and came back an hour later soaking wet with Nico carrying you upstairs. He left without an explanation and you've been asleep since yesterday morning." I hated to make my mom worry, but this was way to weird to tell her about. "I had just remembered that I had promised to give one of the kids I met at the mall swimming lessons. His mom said it would be a great idea and we set up a swim day today. I guess she forgot about it because I was at the pool for longer than I expected. I was going to leave but tripped over my own feet and fell into the water. I tried to get up and smashed my head against the side of the pool. Nico had given me a ride to the pool so I guess he pulled me out and drove me home." As I speak, my legs melt into a more solid whole and it feels like bugs are crawling over every inch of them.

"Are you sure everything is alright? You might have a concussion. You sound a little jarred." My skin takes on a light green complexion through the water and the weird crawling feeling is turning into light pinching against my skin. I touch my legs and it feels like thousands of tiny sharp things are pushing through my skin. "I'm okay. Just have a headache." the things in my legs break through the thin layer of skin and start to cover my legs. My feet look like they are stretching out and becoming flat. I pull one of the hard sharp things off my legs and feel a searing pain where it was. I bring it out of the water I find that it's a scale. As I watch, it grows larger and rounds out a little at the tip until it looks more like a pointed oval then an arrow head. "Are you sure. I could come in and-" "No!" I shout. "I mean, seriously, I'm fine. I just need to clear my head a bit and sit in hot water." The scales on my legs, or is it leg now, start to spread out more evenly and grow larger. I pull the bath plug out and the water begins to drain. My, let's just call it a limb, emerges from the water just as the scales stop growing and take on a sea green color that becomes lighter as it goes down to my feet. Though I can't really call them feet at the moment since they have become what I can only assume is a tail fin.

The scales cast a glittering green light on the walls and shine like emeralds. Smaller fins sprout from the sides of my, I can barely think it without having a heart attack, tail and splay out in the rapidly draining water. I pull my knees up and look at my tail fin more closely. The thin membrane is decorated with intricate spider web designs and the soft green color of the open ocean. "OK. just be careful and if you get wosy sit down immediately." I jump at the sound of my mom's voice. I hadn't realized she was still standing at the closed door. "OK, mom." she sighs and I hear her walk down stairs. I grab my phone again and snap a picture of my tail. I send it to Nico with a text. 'I don't know what is happening to me and I'm freaking the hell out. Meet me at the pool tomorrow so we can talk. And delete this picture after you see it. I don't want someone seeing it and try to dissect me or something.' he texts back almost immediately. 'Ok. Will do.' I put my phone down and reach for my towel.

I manage to grab the corner and pull it over. I start wiping the water off my scales and manage to get up on the edge of the tub. I wipe away the water and as the scales dry they start to shrink. I realize what is happening and grab my mom's hair drier. I turn it to the hottest setting and start going over my tail with the hot air. In no time the scales disappear and my legs change back into their normal state. I wrap my towel around my waist, grab my stuff and hightail it to my room. I lock the door and fall back on my bed. As if my life wasn't hard or strange enough. Now I have to become a frikin merman.


	8. apology

-I apologize to everyone of my readers for the delay in my writing. A lot of stuff is happening in my life at the moment and I don't get a lot of time to sit down and write. I also have an ADHD and dyslexia sunday with writer's block drizzled on top that happens to be my life. I know these are lame excuses and you are mad that I just stopped writing but I promise that I will try my hardest to continue this story and give you a proper beginning, middle and end. I am really sorry and I know how you feel. I hate it when a writer just stops writing in the middle of the story as well. Please forgive me and bare with me and my sad, sad excuses. I appreciate you all and I love to read the reviews you guys send me. I appreciate all the help and constructive criticisms I can get. Potatoe Man out!-


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter: 8

I walk across the street and make it to the community pool. This is the main pool I use outside of school. Connor pointed it out to me when I first started on the swim team. Almost no one uses it and it gives me more time to practice or hang out with my friends. It is also the place where I first meet Nico. I enter the building and put my stuff in my usual locker. I walk into the main pool area and find Nico sitting on the edge of the pool. I look around to make sure that there is no one else here and walk over to him. I sit down and make sure to keep my feet away from the water. Nico looks at me as I sit and waits for me to speak. I look at him and try to say something but I can't find the words. I told him to meet me here so I could tell him what was happening with me, but I didn't even know what was happening. My life had changed in a matter of hours and I have no control over it. Finally I find my voice. "I…...I don't know what's wrong with me. All this stuff is happening and I don't know why. What happened to me to turn me into a fish? Why is all this happening now and why is it happening to me? I don't know what to do or who to talk to and I feel like I'm losing my mind."

He stares at me intently and wraps his arm around my waist. "I'm sure everything is going to be fine. Maybe your mother knows what is happening or we could find a book or something that will help and explain things." He says reassuringly. I pull back slightly to look him in the face. "How is it that you're so calm while your boyfriend is so close to tears? I freaking out right now and you sound like I just lost something and you're trying to help find it." he looks at me with a smile playing at the edges of his mouth. "I'm just really good with weird stuff. There's almost nothing that could happen in the world that could freak me out that much. Yes, I was taken off guard yesterday by the gills and the picture of a fish tail growing from my boyfriend's legs, but i got over it quickly. No matter if you grow tentacles or large elephant ears, I'll still like you and who you are. You're not getting rid of me that easily." I look at him in pure disbelief. How could he just accept that his boyfriend is half a fish. "So you weren't worried about the whole ocean thing yesterday?" I ask questioningly. He looked at me like I was insane. "Of course I was worried yesterday! You were pulled under the water and I thought you were going to drown! I was about to go in after you when you shot out of the water. I was so scared I would lose you right then and there!" He said this like he was angry I could ever thing he wouldn't worry about me. He stood up and started pacing like an agitated animal. I stand up and stop him by wrapping my arms around him. He returned the gesture and squeezed me lightly.

"I'm sorry I said that. I'm just so scared about what's happening to me and worried about what people would do if anyone found out." He nodded into my shoulder and I realized he was crying. I never thought I'd see the day Nico Di Angelo would cry. My own eyes began to sting as the tears started to flow. I wasn't really sad, I was just so scared of my unknown future. I pulled away and wiped my eyes as I pretended not to notice him doing the same. We looked at each other and started to smile small insecure smiles. I laughed and shook myself slightly.

"Ok. First things first. We need to see how much I'm turning into a big sushi roll." I turn my attention back to the pool. I walk forward and sit down at the edge. I begin slowly lowering myself into the pool. I let go of the side and push away towards the center of the pool. Nico neels at the edge and watches closely. I look down and wait for the tail that I saw last night to spring from my legs. Five minutes go by and nothing seems to be happening. I swim back to the edge of the pool and pull myself out. "I don't get it! Last night I was in the tub and my legs turned into a scaly fish tail. Why isn't anything happening?" Nico seems to think about something for a moment and then asks, "Well is there anything different from last night then there is today?" I thought back to last night and what had happened. "Well… the water was hot, I was relaxed and my mind was open. I accidentally knocked over my mom's skin softening bath salts- _Wait!"_ Nico jumps with fright as I practically scream. " _Salt!_ At the beach with the gills and in the bathtub. Both situations had saltwater in common." I stand up and run to the locker rooms.

I grab my wallet and run to the gas station next to the pool. I grab a water bottle and some plastic cups. I walk up to the counter and pay for my items. I run back to the pool and open the door to the old snack stand. I look around until I find what I need and rush back to where Nico still stands with an expression of confusion. I sat on the ground and spread everything around me. Nico sat next to me and noticed what I had found in the snack stand. He raises an eyebrow and held one up. "Salt packets?" I grab it from him and through it back with the others. " _Stop touching_." I open the bottle of water and the package of plastic cups. I fill two cups halfway with water and pour four packets of salt into both of them. I pick up the straw I also found at the stand and start mixing the salt and water together. I pick up both cups and run to the shower room, trying hard not to spill the water. " **Come on**!" I yell behind me. I hear Nico begin to catch up with me.

We enter the shower room and find the biggest looking shower. I enter and wait for him to get in before closing and locking the door. I turn and stand in the middle of the shower and look down. Oh crap. I didn't think about the fact that last night I was in the bathtub… alone…. And _**naked!**_ I don't think this would work if I was wearing swim trunks. I think really fast and snap at Nico, " **turn around**! An- and don't look until I tell you!" He seemed to understand why I said this because he began to blush as he quickly turned around. I pull of my shorts and sit down on the floor. Luckily the shower walls and door had plastic covers around the bottom so even if someone came in they wouldn't see me on the floor. I took the cups and start pouring the water down my legs and my neck. I start rubbing the water across my skin from my toes to my chin. I pour the rest of the water onto myself and wait.

Ten seconds in and the scales began to grow from my skin just as they did last night. After a minute my legs are once again a tail a fish would be jealous of. I pull an old mirror off the wall and examine my neck. Right under my chin the gills had sprouted once again. "O-Ok. You can look now." Nico turned slowly and looked down at me. His eyes widened at seeing my tail. He kneels beside me and looks closer at the scales. I start to blush slightly as he moves his hands over the smooth surface of my tail. "I know this is going to sound weird coming from me in this situation, but this looks beautiful." If he couldn't see the blush all over my face before, he definitely could now. I looked down at my tail again and could see his point. It was beautiful and the emerald green lights it cast around us were almost hypnotic.

I snapped out of it when I noticed the scales starting to shrink. I nearly shriek," _ **Turn around! Turn around now!**_ " He jumps up startled and turns so fast he smacks his head into the wall. I grab the towel he had brought and started wiping the water away and drying my legs. When I can mostly separate them again I quickly pull my shorts back on I stand up and Nico turns around at the sound. I go to walk out of the stall when Nico grabs my arm. "Wait. Their not completely gone yet." I look down and see what he means. Some of my scales were still shrinking back into smooth skin. I help speed up the process with the towel again and when they were completely gone we left the stall.

We walked to the locker room and got our stuff. "I still need to know if there is anything else to the…. ' _Transformation_ '." I say using air quotes. Nico looks at me questioningly. "Where are we going to find that much salt water without your mom finding out?" I try to think about my options but find there is only one. I shiver at the very thought of it, but I have no other choice. " there's only one place we _can_ go. We have to go back to the beach."


	10. Chapter 9

**-Hey guys. I know I haven't written anything in a long time and I'm so sorry for that. I just wanted to say that I'm going to try to pick up where I left off on this and other stories. Please don't hate me to much I've just had a lot to deal with and I totally forgot about my fanfics. I'll try my darndest to make it up to you and write a good story. P.S. If you guys don't actually like the story, I'm still happy you even took the time to read it. Love you all and your support. Potatoe Man out.-**

Chapter: 9

The car stops and I feel my fear rise from deep within me. I hear the sound of the ocean as the waves slap across the sand. The memory of the other day bubbles to the surface and I find myself shaking from the thought of the unknown lurking below the waves. I hear Nico take a shaky breath as he opens the car door. I open my own door and step out into the salty air. We begin the descent to the beach from the parking lot and I soon hear the soft sound of sand crunching beneath our feet. I see the soft green blue of the ocean waves as we move closer to the place where the water meets the sand. We stop about five feet from the water and stare out into the horizon where the ocean goes down into the dark blue depths below.

I breath in deeply. "Ok. all I have to do is stay in the water until the changing stops. Then we can see what other surprises there are in store for me." As nerves as I was, I sounded frightfully calm. Nico turned to me. "I don't think this is a good Idea. What if that thing grabs you again. What do I do if you are dragged under for good this time." I place a hand on his shoulder and squeeze it lightly. "This is the only way to really test what is happening with me. And besides, I don't hear that music I heard before. I don't think it's there anymore." He grabs my arm and holds on like I might fly away at any second. "Ok. But I'm not letting you go until I know you are out of that water and that you are safe." I nod in agreement and take a step towards the water.

I go to take another step when I hear a familiar voice behind us. "Hey…..Nico, Percy! There you guys are. We've been looking for you all day." I turn and see Annabeth and Grover walking toward us from the parking lot. They walk quickly and stop a few feet from us. "We didn't know where else to look so we figured you might be here." I look to Nico for something to say to explain why we're here looking straight into the sea, but he seemed almost as much at a loss for words as I was. Annabeth saw the transaction but didn't seem to care for she continued on as nothing had happened. "Your mom was worried you had gotten abducted or something. You left before she was awake and you haven't been home for hours. She tried calling you but you didn't pick up so she called us and asked if we could help look for you." I thought about it and realized my phone had rang about four times, but I didn't really think to answer it.

"Oh uh, we were just going to the pool this morning and I didn't want to disturb her. I thought I left a note, but I guess I forgot." Grover raised his eyebrows in suspicion. "So you went to the pool early in the morning spent an hour there and then came to the beach. The one place your mother has banned you from ever going?" I look at Nico for help but he still seemed stumped. "Look. Things have been a little weird lately and the beach was the one place we could go. I know it sounds strange, believe me, but it's the truth." I say almost pleadingly. Annabeth raises her eyebrows this time. Only with a look of disbelief. " _What...a... minute_! Did you two come out here to do something that your mothers wouldn't approve of, if you know what I mean." She says deviously. I look at her in horror. " _ **God No!**_ Who do you think I am! How could you even think that! I know you wanted us together and all but _come on!"_ She put up her hands and backed up a couple steps. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. That was a little out of line." " _ **A Little!**_ What is _wrong_ with you!? Is that really the type of person you think I am! You think I'll just fool around with someone on a public beach! I wouldn't even do that in the confines of my own room. I'm going to wait until I'm married or over thirty years old. Otherwise I'm purer than the virgin Mary." My voice begins to rise as I speak, as does an anger I didn't know I had. I hear the waves behind me hit the sand much harder than before, but all my attention is on Annabeth.

Grover seemed to cower under the weight of my anger and Nico took a few steps away from me. Annabeth simply seemed shock by my outburst. She had never seen me really angry before. sure, I got mad sometimes but this was different. I wasn't a really angry person but stress and fear had built up a dame of feelings inside me and Annabeth just hit it with a wrecking ball. "So for you to stand there and make accusations about me and what I do in my freetime is an insult to my character and who I am as a person!" "Ok! I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was such a big deal. You know I don't have a filter for this things and-" " _You didn't realize it was such a big deal!_ _ **You didn't realize!**_ You shouldn't have to realize anything! You should just keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand!" The waves were really slamming into the shore now. It seemed that the madder I got the more the waves grow in size and ferocity. "You should keep your mouth shut about most of the things that happen but, no, you have to have a word in everything that happens in our lives! _You_ have to get me and Nico together! _You_ have to get the last word it the conversation you weren't even apart of! _You_ have to be right about everything while all of us are stupid people whose opinions aren't worth your time! _You_ think everything is about or must include you in some way! All you care about is _yourself_ and no one else!"

My eyes began to sting with salt water as I yelled everything I ever thought about Annabeth. I didn't mean all of it but I couldn't stop. I was just so angry. And with every word I said, so was Annabeth. "If I such a bad friend then why do you even hang out with me!? If you so high and mighty why didn't you ever tell me to stop or not to do what it was I was doing at the time! Because you were scared I wouldn't be your friend any more or because you thought I would notice it myself and it would stop. Well that is just who I am! I'm a curious person who has no filter and doesn't know when it is not ok to say something. And if it wasn't for me you would still be fumbling over yourself when Nico entered a room." And with that I simply exploded. _**"Shut up!"**_ I feel a surge of energy and a volcano of water explodes around me. It curves around me, comes together and shoots right into Annabeths chest. She went flying back and landed twenty feet away like a soaking wet bag of potatoes. My anger evaporated and all of us ran to her. I fell to her side and started shaking her. "Annabeth! Come on! Wake up! Please wake up! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please just wake up!" tears began to stream down my face as I tried to wake her up. Her eye popped open and she sat up, gasping for air. I hugged her tightly and continued to cry and whimper. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she hugged me back and I heard Grover ask behind me, "What just happened?"


	11. Chapter 10

**\- I apologize if it took me longer to write this chapter then the other ones. I don't have a lot of free time to write so most of my writing is from ten to twelve in the morning. I'm also just realy slow. Potatoe Man out!-**

Chapter: 10

Both Grover and Annabeth look from me to Nico as if to confirm what we just told them. I look to the ground self consciously as their stares move back to me. I couldn't tell from their expressions what was going through their minds. Based on what just happened I can only assume they think I am a monster with violent tendencies. I shift my weight from one foot to the other nervously as I wait for one of them to say something. I hear Annabeth clear her throat and I prepare for the worst. "Well…...Besides the fact that I was nearly killed by a wave a few minutes ago, I think that this is the coolest thing I ever heard." I look up quickly in confusion. "Wait….You think this is cool. I thought you would think I was a monster and you would hate me."

She stood up and walked over to wrap her arms around me. "I don't care if you grow wing and start drinking blood. You're my best friend." I hug her back and we stand there for a minute. We pull apart and smile at each other. Grover stands up. "Well…..We should do what you came here to do." I take a deep breath. I feel like the luckiest person on the planet to have friends like these. We all start walking towards the water. We reach the edge and stop. "Ok. Lets try this again." I go to take the last step one once again someone calls out behind us. This voice was also familiar, but not in a good way. _**"Stop!"**_

 __I spin around to see the sprinting angry bler that is my mother. I didn't even know that she could move that fast. " _What_ do you think your _doing_! Get _away_ from that water mister! You don't know what you're doing! _And you two!_ I expected better from you!" as she got closer, the louder she got. She made it to us and she grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the water. "What were you _thinking!_ I told you to _never_ come here! It is dangerous for you to be here! _**And you!"**_ she said as she pointed a finger at Nico. "None of this started happening until you came into our lives! Did _he_ send you!? Are you here just to steel my son away!? I don't care how powerful he is, he can't have my son! _**Do you hear me!?"**_ This last part she said facing the ocean instead of Nico. _**"You can't take him away from me!"**_ she bent down, picked up a rock and trough it into the waves. _**"You can't have him!"**_

She grabbed my arm again and started pulling me towards the parking lot. "You are _never_ coming here again and you're banned from ever seeing that boy again!" I pulled away from her to free myself from her grip. She lunged for me again but I moved away from her. " _Perseus Jackson!_ We are leaving this instant young man." I take another step away from her. "No! I want to know what's going on. Who were you yelling at? _Who_ can't take me away and take me where? What are you not telling me?" she stepped closer and I took three steps back. She sighed in realization that I wasn't going with her without an explanation.

"I have always told you you were special, and that is more true then you know. I meet you father after I fell off the pier when I was twenty years old. I had tripped, fell over the rail and landed in the water. I wasn't much of a swimmer and I was slammed into one of the columns by the waves. I was knocked out and when I came to I was in the arms of your father. He had seen me fall and, against the rules of his people, swam over to help me. He had found a remote part of the beach where we couldn't be seen. He set me down on the beach and made sure I was breathing properly. My eyesight came into clearer focus and I noticed that his legs were covered in sky blue scales. I couldn't believe my eyes as they reflected tiny rainbows across the sand.. He followed my line of sight and realized what I was staring at. With a snap of his fingers his legs shone brightly and the scales were replaced with long blue swimming trunks. I couldn't handle what I had just seen and I blacked out." She paused for a moment and looked out to the ocean.

"When I awoke I found myself alone on the beach. I tried to shrug it off as a drowning induced dream, but it felt so real that it always nagged at the back of my mind. When I decided to return to the beach I couldn't help but notice once in awhile a bright glimmer in the waves, as if the sun was glistening off scales beneath the water. I thought I was going crazy and decided to go for a walk down the beach. Without realizing where I had gone, I found myself back at the part of the beach where I had meet the man from the ocean. As I was about to leave a dark form in the water caught my eye. He rose from the water and approached me cautiously. I walk forward to meet him and found myself staring into bright sea-green eyes. He held out his hand to me and I accepted it with my own. In a voice almost as deep and mystifying as the sea he said, 'I am Poseidon the third. Future king of the sea.'"


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter:11

I stare at my mother while she tells her story with unbelieving eyes. "Wait! So you're telling me that my father, the one who saved your life and helped to give me life, is _Poseidon!_ The king of the frickin' _ocean_ is my father!" She shrugs, "Poseidon the third, but yeah. I found myself being pulled towards him like he had his own gravity." I stood I shock for a moment as everything started to piece itself together. Everything made sense now. My mom continued where she left off. " After he officially introduced himself on that first day of me knowing I wasn't crazy, I started going to the beach every day just to spend time with your father. Every time we meet the bond we shared grow stronger and stronger. I'm not entirely sure as to what you would have called us, but all I knew was that I had fallin in love with the future king of the sea.

" About four months after we first meet I discovered that I was pregnant. I was only a few weeks along and I was ecstatic. I went to meet with your father and told him the good news. He was even more excited then I was about the thought of having a child. He started talking about his planes to teach you about all the changes you would go through when you turned sixteen and how he would show you all the seven seas. He told me you would grow up on land and, on your sixteenth birthday, you would leave the life of the land walkers and enter the life of the sea. The more he told me about how he would lead your life down that road the more I began to worry. He told me I would only get to see you booth was once every year. He was going to take you away and teach you to rule over the ocean."

She sat down on the sandy ground and hugged her legs to her chest. "He was going to take you away from me. I didn't want you to grow up not having the choice to live your own life. I asked him if we could make some compromises. Maybe he could take you for a year and then you could stay with me for the next. When I brought this to his attention he became furious. He refused to allow his _'spawn'_ to live more than sixteen years on dry land. I couldn't allow him to take you away from me and turn you against a human life. I moved here and stayed away from the ocean completely." I sat down beside her and thought about all she had said. If it hadn't been for her decision to allow me to live a life where I could choose my own path I would be living in the ocean, never to walk on land again aside from one day every year. She had left my father in the dark to are whereabouts.

"So _that's_ why you never let me go to the beach. You thought I would discover the truth and leave you, and my life, to live In the ocean?" She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I was afraid you would hate me for keeping such a big part of your life a secret. I just wanted you to live a normal life." a few tears escaped from her eyes as she spoke. Seeing her feel so strongly about how I grow up made my own eyes water. "I was also afraid of what your father would do if you came here. He told me about some of the power he has over the ocean and I was afraid he would find you and steal you away." As she spoke I remembered the music that had lured me to the sea and the invisible force that tried to drag me into the ocean. I realized with a shiver that my father had already tried to steal me away from my mother. I unthinkingly move away from the sound of the waves splashing against the sand. "I think he already tried to." She looked up at me with confused terror. "When could he have? This is the first time you have come….." realization crossed her face. "The other day when you left the house. You were coming here." Her expression was one of pure terror.

"I was drawn here by a strange music. It pulled me towards the water and something grabbed onto my leg. It tried to drag me out into the sea but I got away." Everyone looked at me with fear in their eyes. My mother stood up quickly. "We should get out of here." I was quick to agree and stood up. We all started quickly across the sand. We were almost to the incline to the parking lot when a wall of water rose in a twenty foot wall, separating us from the way out. The water wrapped around in a large circle and connected back to the sea standing in the one open space in front of the waters edge were two people, one of which I had never expected to see. Luke stood there looking smugly at my expression. "What's wrong jackson? Catfish got your tongue? You look surprised to see me. What, you didn't think daddy dearest would allow you to go unsupervised did you?"


	13. Chapter 12

-Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good christmas and have an even better new year. All of the hugs and puppies. Potatoe Man out.-

Chapter: 12

I stare at Luke in shock. What was going on here. The man standing behind Luke was looking me over like I was an object that he was checking out before he bought it. He looked just as my mother had described him. Tall, medium build, bright sea-green eyes and raven black hair like my own. Luke stepped closer to us. "You know, as amusing as it is to see that confused expression on your face, I'm starting to get a little impatient. I didn't come live on land for two years and follow you around just to let you stare at me like a moron." The tone of his voice triggered every memory I had of every time Luke spoke to me. I never understood why he disliked me so much until now. He had been told to follow me and make sure I came to line in the sea. So he blamed me for having to live on land.

I stepped forward and my mom reached out to stop me. "Percy wait." I looked back to her with sencer eyes and said, "Don't worry." I turned back to Luke and my father. "How did you even know where we were? She left so you would never find us." Luke's face turned up in a sneer and when he spoke it irritated my eardrums. "He is the king of the ocean. He can see across any surface of water anywhere in the world. Do you really think that he is so incompetent that he couldn't find a land scum and a low sum half-breed?" The comment towards my mother was what made me angry. I didn't care how much he insulted me, but my mother was a different scenario. I felt heat rise to my face and something in the pit of my being seemed to growl in my mind. It felt like there was something alive in my soul and it was rearing its head to strike. "Yeah? And where do you fit into all of this? Are you just the henchman of the king who sends you off to search for his 'half-breed' son?"

The insult work like a charm as I watched his eyes harden and his face become ugly with anger. "How dare you! Who are you, a slimy land crawler, to speak to me in such a manner. I am the captain of the royal guard. The might of the kings power. I do as he wishes and am rewarded for my efforts. You're just his bastard son who was stolen away by the land vermen." The creature hisses and snaps in my mind at another insult to my mother. "Shut the hell up. You're just some spoiled fish boy who is used for selfish reasons. You barely older than me. You didn't get swim captain so I doubt your captain of the royal guard." His face turned three shades of red. "I didn't have to come here and take insults from a land child. I was sent by my father to do this mission to help my uncle. I didn't care if you were found or not. I was next in line for the throne since the king hadn't found a mate. But the you mother had to fall of a pier and ruin everything!" As his temper rose the water around us began to quake. "She had to become a damsel in distress and catch the king's eye. She ruined my chance of obtaining the throne. I only think it fair to ruin the land witch's life in return." He moment he said it the thing in me roared in outrage. It seemed to travel through me and soon I was yelling in anger. I could suddenly feel the power of the water around me and see the hold Luke had over it. I took hold of it and wrenched it out of his control. It began to flow around me and fill me with strength.

Luke looked frantic as he tried in vein to reclaim control of the water. I felt his feeble attempts and shoved them back. The wave behind me began to double in size as I began to walk towards Luke and my father. Luke began to back away into the water as he realized I would not relinquish my hold on the water around me. It began to flow around my legs and I began to rise into the air. He tried to use the water around him but it was not responding to him. I lifted my hand and the water arched back. I pushed forward with all my might and the water shot through the air like lightning. It blasted into Luke like cannonball and sent him flying over the sea.

I turned to my father and rush at him. I raise my arm to repeat what I had just done to my cousin. He raises his hand and I fall to the sand, all the water dropping onto the ground with a great splash. I scramble to my feet and try to summon the water once more. I can feel it around me but it seems to be just out of my reach. I give up on the water and rush at him intending to us my fists if I have to. He snaps his fingers and I become wrapped in water. My arms and legs lock together and I fall to my knees. He steps forward and kneels down in front of me. He puts his hand under my chin and lifts my face so I can do nothing but look in his eyes. "All that that power. You wish to live a life that was never yours to have. You belong to the sea. No matter how much you fight it. You are the sea prince, start acting like it." I try to control the water around me to make it let me go. His power flicks mine away like a pesky fly. "You will come live in the sea, one way or another. Don't make this harder than it has to be. You won't miss these land worms. Trust me. Just let go."

I jerk my chin away and glare at the man That brought me into this world. My anger begins to strengthen at the way he called my friends and family "land worms" and the way he acted like my mother wasn't even worth what he had spent with her. "I will never live in the ocean! I will never be your son!," my power begin to over take that of the king has on the water. "I will never be the prince of the sea! And I never want to see you _**again!"**_ I push off his hold and for the first time there is fear in his eyes. I wrap the water around him and pull him into the ocean. I push with all my power and fell him be carried of into the depths by my current. I release the power and feel it drain out of my body. I turn and walk back to my friends and my mom. "Let's go home-" before I even finish my sentence I black out from the loss of energy.


End file.
